|| Book One of the Dragonkind Duology ||
𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨𝙣'𝙩 𝙖 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙞𝙛 𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙡𝙩; 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣.
For years, dragonkind and humankind had been at war, alternating between short-lived truces and all out...
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"Last chance," Ordephus said, catching his breath after a mad dash across an open field and a short fight with an unseelie. They were resting just inside the edge of the Garden of the Damned to be hidden from any other unseelie in the area. Noctifer only rolled his eyes, tossing the ointment he was using on a bite to the legend.
"I'm aware. And notice how I'm still here," he replied sarcastically.
"Alright, alright, no need to get snippy." Ordephus hadn't sustained any injuries in the fight, but he unwrapped his neck to check the still-open wound and to change the bandages. "But remember that we'll both be seeing what each other's greatest regrets and fears are. The visions aren't exclusive to a single person."
Noctifer paused to consider that piece of information. "If you are alright with it as well."
"We are a bit notorious for keeping everything to ourselves," Ordephus grinned, "so this might be easier than actually saying it. Unless we learn more about each other than we want to."
Noctifer snorted. "I think you're more nervous than I am."
"Oh, absolutely," the legend said in much too cheerful of a tone, tucking the ointment and extra bandages back in this bag. "You're going to see me in a different light after this. But this is for Argent, not for my own comfort. Ready?"
"Ready."
"Then let's get this over with as quickly as possible. And remember, they're not there. It won't do you any good to attack it or run."
With that last piece of advice, they began walking deeper into the Garden. It didn't differ much from the rest of the unseelie overgrowth. Each plant and tree had its own bioluminescent color—although the majority of it being a turquoise blue—and Noctifer would have called it peaceful if it weren't for the strange energy that gradually enveloped them. It didn't help that Ordephus strode ahead, sending pulses of his darker magic—his lifeforce—out to locate the Tree of Opulence easier. It was a few minutes in when the fog thickened around them, and they began hearing a series of voices to their left, closest to where the legend stood.
It was a group of around ten. Two men lead in front and a woman trailed behind along with guards surrounding her. She looked uneasy—if not guilty—and kept her gaze to the ground. A crown stood on her head. The human man in front was the first to be heard clearly.
"This is a rather awkward situation for us, I must admit," the man in the front said hurriedly, fiddling with his cuff as he kept glancing between the other man and the path ahead of them. They appeared to be walking down a hallway lined with stone, and only torches lined the walls. There were no windows. "But it was all we could do at the moment."
The other man sighed before looking at the human. His eyes were bright silver, and his pupils were in the shape of slits.
A dragonkind, Noctifer thought in surprise before the dragonkind began speaking.
